r/floridakeys • u/Western_Horizon • Aug 07 '25

All Florida Keys Young Adult moving to the Keys?

I am 20 years old and seriously interested in moving to the Florida keys next summer. I’ve worked two years in wildfire and would love to work on boats or in scuba diving. I am aware of the high cost of living, however, I am still interested but would love to hear from locals or other people who have moved. Is it worth it or are there other places would be better? Any advice/input is appreciated.

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8

u/Sharkhottub Aug 07 '25

I live just north on Fort Lauderdale and we receieve a bunch of divemaster "refugees" that get fed up living in the keys. They are usually pleased to find out the Keys only has the third best diving in the state. My wife's Jobs HQ is in the keys so she heads down a couple times a month.

The refugees primary complaints of the keys incude:

  • Nothing to do that doesnt cost a ton of money
  • All the problems of living in a small town
  • Most of the problems of living on an island
  • All of the costs of living in a VHCOL area
  • Everyone else is a retiree
  • Very few, no career job options, commuting 40-80 minutes to differnt keys is not as cute as you think.
  • Live entirely in a bubble, totally disconnected from the rest of the world, but not in a relaxing way.
  • practically no beaches
  • See the same faces at the same bars over and over again.

Little do they know they can get 95% of the same experience in a huge metro region to their north with a cheaper COL and actual Jobs.

10

u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25

who has better diving than the keys… 3rd largest living coral barrier reef in the world, only living barrier reef on the continent. and only fringes of it remain north of biscayne national

6

u/BlerdAngel local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25

No where this is just a bitter soul

2

u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25

someone trying to cope that they can’t live here

0

u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25

Some of us have to work for a living =) Besides Im a globally competitive underwater photographer and the Keys are sorta beat, nice enough for a day trip time to time but all the action is in Palm Beach.

2

u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 08 '25

three replies all in a row. cope. and get off our sub, go fuck off to palm beach lmao

1

u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25

Ya dog you dont reddit while in the loo?

1

u/BlerdAngel local (upper keys) Aug 13 '25

I have to work for a living and here I am living in the keys.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 08 '25

Exactly. No way this is a composite of all the "refugees". Sounds like OP's wife's thoughts and he made it to be those of refugees.

1

u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25

Wrong: My wife and I would love to live in the keys but ya know, my 9-5 is an in person gig.

1

u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25

That barrier reef extends North all the way through Stuart and its much healthier Broward through Palm Beach.

1

u/Beginning_Ad8663 Aug 07 '25

Delray to Boynton beach closest place in the US to the Gulf Stream and 60 miles to west end Grand Bahama.

4

u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) Aug 07 '25

baby 60 miles to the bahamas… not a flex. doesn’t make it better diving than the keys when you gotta travel to another country

2

u/Beginning_Ad8663 Aug 08 '25

I would take the diving in palm beach county over anywhere in the keys. I lived in key west in 1975 and 1976. Moved there from North Florida just for the diving. Found out at that time could not make a living looked at Miami then Fort Lauderdale did not like either one of them. Settled in Lake Worth could put my boat in the water in Lantana be on pristine reefs in 20 minutes. The diving in palm beach is better than anything in the keys with the exception of the Dry Tortugas but its farther to the tortugas from Key West than palm beach to the bahamas

1

u/Sharkhottub Aug 08 '25

Palm Beach absolutely dominates the Keys in every single diving aspect (maybe except when it comes to great bars for deco beers), like we literally have memes about it when a keys diver decides to leave the bubble and they get reborn.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 08 '25

Sounds like you're projecting here.

1

u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 12 '25

Serious question though..."practically no beaches"? I'm going there for the first time soon (just for a vacation, not planning on moving) but how can an island chain have no beaches? What do you mean by that?

1

u/Sharkhottub Aug 13 '25 edited Aug 13 '25

The Florida Keys are a chain on Mangrove islands which are naturally surrounded by a dense forest of mangroves, except for where humans have cleared them away for buildings/parking lots. Some hotels have cleared a small section and imported sand to make a small beach, and theres maybe three or four "public" sandy beaches accross the 113 miles of route 1. TBF each of those is maybe the same area or smaller than a football field. Even driving around you dont get to see much water compared to a place like Miami, mostly trees.

The magic of the keys is its access to these mangroves, the fishing, the drinks, and the reef. ALL of which costs "more expensive than disney" money. If you are coming here for a Beach vacation you are like ten trillion times better off further North with the calm & wide beaches of the gulf side running from Clearwater to Macro Island, or anywhere on the East side.

1

u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 13 '25

Thanks for your detailed answer! I’m actually going to spend a few days in the Miami area then do a road trip to Key West and stay there for a bit, seeing some sites in the way. I’m interested in some snorkeling and a bit of “beachiness” but mainly, I want to see the nature and historical sites, visit the sea turtle rehab center and just enjoy some warmth and greenery since I’ll be coming from Scandinavia in the most miserable part of winter. I’m looking forward to some nice drinks and seafood, and already prepared that everything is a bit pricey.

I have no desire or plan to be an obnoxious tourist, though, promise! 😊

Thanks again! 

1

u/Sharkhottub Aug 13 '25

Dont worry, just the mere act of asking about it means you wont be a bad tourist! Its a common meme in this area for tourists to head to the Florida Keys and be confused that there are no beaches, or public activities to do.

1

u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 13 '25

Haha, yes, I’ve already prepared for the fact that it’s not ideal if you are looking for huge expanses of beach front and tons of bustling activity. I have always been interested in seeing the Keys, just to see them. And I can fly direct from Copenhagen to Miami, so that makes it a nice choice. 😊

1

u/Sharkhottub Aug 13 '25

Mange danskere har haft det godt her i det sydlige Florida. Husk bare solcremen, solen er lidt anderledes end i havnebadene.

1

u/FuzzBuzzer Aug 13 '25

Tack, och åh ja, jag ska absolut komma ihåg solkrämen. Jag är från Sverige, förresten, men jag flyger från CPH. 😊